Bottle dispensing apparatus with ice breaker



BOTTLE DISPENSING APPARATUS WITH ICE BREAKER Filed Dec. 24, 1964 Jan. 31, 1967 M. w. NEWBERRY 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Meigs W. Newberry zToRNEY BOTTLE DISPENSING APPARATUS WITH ICE BREAKER Jan. 31, 1967 M. w. NEWBERRY 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.

Jan. 31, 1967 M. w. NEWBERRY BOTTLE DISPENSING APPARATUS WITH ICE BREAKER Filed Dec. 24, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1967 M. w. NEWBERRY BOTTLE DISPENSING APPARATUS WITH ICE BREAKER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed Dec.

FIG.7.

United States Patent 3,301,436 BOTTLE DISPENSING APPARATUS WITH ICE BREAKER Meigs W. Newberry, East Longmeadow, Mass., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.,

a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 420,899 3 Claims. (Cl. 22167) This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing bottles or the like, especially apparatus of the corded stack type.

It is an object of the invention to provide mechanism for nudging or moving a bottle or the like in the event it becomes frozen in place or for any other reason fails to follow the bottle releasing member upon releasing movement thereof.

An embodiment representative of the invention comprises an ice breaker member pivoted on an axis disposed laterally of and below the center of the lowermost bottle and having an abutment normally disposed above and laterally of the center of the bottle. There is also provided means whereby the article releasing member, upon releasing movement, swings said ice breaker member downwardly to bring said abutment into engagement with the neck of the lowermost bottle to move it in the event that it does not follow the releasing member upon releasing movement thereof.

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a similar view showing the mechanism in the course of a bottle releasing operation;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the mechanism for operating the bottle releasing rods;

FIG. 5 is a vertical transverse section of a second embodiment, in the normal or rest position;

FIG. 6 is a similar view of the second embodiment in the full releasing position; and

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the second embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 taken longitudinally of the compartment and the bottles therein.

Referring first to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, it includes a compartment 10 formed by side walls 11 and 12, a front wall 13 and a rear wall 14. The walls 11 and 12 are spaced to accommodate two columns of bottles in corded stacked relation, that is, with the bottles of one column in vertically staggered and horizontally overlapping relation to the bottles of the other column. Each of the side walls may be a partition between two adjacent compartments, of which there may be any desired number in a dispensing or vending machine.

There is provided at the rear of the compartment a neck guide 15, which is in the form of a channel member disposed vertically. It comprises a wall 16 disposed parallel to the rear wall 14 for retaining the bottles against endwise movement, as shown in FIG. 3, and flanges 17 and 18 projecting forwardly therefrom to retain the necks of the bottles therebetween against lateral movement, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The neck guide is mounted on the wall structure in any suitable manner in a position to accommodate the length of the bottle that it may be desired to use.

Any suitable bottle supporting and releasing mechanism is provided adjacent the bottom of the compartment; for example, the illustrated embodiment includes the mechanism shown and described in application Serial No. 173,222, filed February 14, 1962, by Francis A. Gasparini and James E. Howard, in, now Patent No. 3,209,942. This mechanism comprises two rods or bottle supporting and releasing members 19 and 20 extending lengthwise of "ice the compartment and the bottles therein and under the two columns respectively. The rod 19 is mounted on levers 21 and 22, which are pivoted respectively to a stationary channel 23 adjacent the front wall 13 and to the rear wall 14 on a common pivot axis 24, and the rod 20 is mounted on levers 25 and 26 which are pivotally mounted on the stationary channel 23 and the rear wall 14 respectively on a common pivot axis 27. As shown in FIG. 4, the front levers 21 and 25 have upwardly-extending arms carrying cam follower rollers that extend through cam slots 28 in vertically slidable plates 29 and 30. The cam slots 28 are of the form shown in FIG. 4 to effect the movement which will now be described.

To dispense the lowermost bottle when in the left-hand column as shown in FIG. 1, the cam plate 29 is moved upwardly, causing the lever 21 to move in counterclockwise direction and to move the rod 19 downwardly and to the right to a position under the rod 20, as shown in dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 2 and in full lines in FIG. 4. Normally the lowermost bottle 31 follows the rod 19, and the higher bottles follow the bottle 31 until the second lowermost bottle 32 in the right-hand column engages the rod 20, after which the lowermost bottle 31 continues its downward movement freed of the weight of the higher bottles. Upon sufficient movement of the rod 19, the lowermost bottle 31 is released between the side wall 11 and the rod 19, whereupon the latter is returned to its normal rest position by downward movement of the cam plate 29.

To dispense the bottle 32, which is now the lowermost and rests on the rod 20, the latter is swung about the pivot axis 27 downwardly and under the rod 19, this being effected by upward movement of the cam plate 30 which causes the lever 25 to move clockwise. The lowermost bottle 32 normally follows the rod 20, and the higher bottles follow the lowermost bottle until the lowermost bottle 33 in the left-hand column engages the rod 19, after which the lowermost bottle 32 continues its movement until it passes between the rod 20 and the side wall 12. The rod 20 is then returned to its normal or rest position by downward movement of the cam plate 30.

While normally the lowermost bottle follows the downward releasing movement of the releasing rod, it has been found that occasionally it Will fail to do so. A common cause of such failure is the formation of ice, whereby the bottle is frozen either to an adjacent bottle or a part of the bottle retaining structure. In order to assure movement of the bottle upon releasing movement of the releasing rod, should it fail for any reason to follow the rod, there is provided the ice breaker mechanism which will now be described. This mechanism is mounted on the lower end of the neck guide 15 and is actuated by the releasing rods 19 and 20, whereby it is automatically adjusted for use with bottles of different length.

The ice breaker mechanism of the first embodiment comprises an ice breaker member 34 pivoted at 35 to the front face of the wall 16 of the neck guide. The wall 16 is offset as shown in 36 to position the front surface of the member 34 in the same plane-with the front surface of the wall 16. As will be noted from FIGS. 1 and 2, the pivot 35 is disposed adjacent the pivot axis 24 of the releasing rod 19. The ice breaker member 34 is formed with a flange 37 which constitutes an abutment adapted to engage the neck of the lowermost bottle when it is in the left-hand column. The ice breaker member 34 is also formed with a flange 38 to which a U-shaped member 39 is attached, as by welding. The U-shaped member 39 partially encompasses the releasing rod 19 whereby the rod actuates the ice breaker member.

An ice breaker member 41 for the right-hand column is disposed on the opposite or rear face of the neck guide wall 16 and pivoted thereto at 40, adjacent the pivot axis 3 27 of the rod 20. The member 41 is likewise formed with a flange 42 constituting an abutment adapted to engage the neck of the lowermost bottle when it is in the righthand column, and it is also provided with a U-shaped member 43 attached to its flange 44 and partially encompassing the rod 20.

The'operation of the ice breaker mechanism will now be considered. Upon downward or releasing movement of the rod 19 to release the bottle 31 as described above, it swings the ice breaker member 34 downwardly about its pivot 35, this being effected by engagement of the rod with the U-shaped member 39. Normally the bottle follows the rod and the abutment 37 follows the neck of the bottle in spaced relation thereto. However, should the bottle fail to follow the rod 19, as when it is frozen in place, the abutment 37 moves downwardly into engagement with the neck of the bottle 31, as shown in FIG. 2, and nudges or moves the bottle to break it loose from another bottle or part to which it may have become frozen or stuck. Upon once being broken loose, it readily moves under the force of gravity to follow the releasing rod 19 in the manner described above. Upon return movement of the rod 19 to its rest position, it engages the flange 38 to return the ice breaker member 34 to its rest position shown in FIG. 1.

In the next operation of the dispensing mechanism, the rod 20 moves downwardly about its pivot axis 27 to release the bottle 32 as described above. During such downward releasing movement, it also swings the ice breaker member 41 downwardly about its axis 40, this being effected by engagement with the U-shaped member 43. If the bottle 32 fails for any reason to follow the rod 20, the abutment 42 engages the neck of the bottle to nudge or move it, whereupon the bottle 32 moves under the force of gravity to follow the rod 20. Upon return movement of the rod 20 to its rest position, it engages the flange 44 to return the ice breaker member 41 to its rest position shown in FIG. 1.

It will be noted from FIG. 1 that the abutments 37 and 42 are disposed, in their rest positions, between the two columns of the necks of the bottles so that the bottles may descend freely without interference with the ice breaker abutments.

The second embodiment of the ice breaker mechanism shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 comprises a single ice breaker member 50 which is adapted to move the neck of the lowermost bottle and which is adapted to pivot about the rod 20 to move the neck of the lowermost bottle when in the left-hand column upon releasing movement of the rod 19 and to pivot about the rod 19 to move the neck of the lowermost bottle when in the right-hand column upon releasing movement of the rod 20. The ice breaker member 50 comprises plates 51 and 52 attached to each other by screws and forming therebetween a slot 53 through which the rods 19 and 20 extend.

The ice breaker member 50 is provided with an abutment 54 pivoted thereto at 55, pivotal movement of the abutment 54 being limited by a pin 56 extending through a slot 57 in the plate 51.

The opposite edge portions of the plate 51 extend through slots 58 in flanges 17a and 18a of a channel member a disposed at the lower end of and attached to the neck guide 15 but having its rear wall 16a offset rearwardly from the wall 16 of the neck guide so as to position the plate 51 with its front surface in the same plane as the front surface of the wall 16 to provide for smooth guiding of the neck ends of the bottles. The flanges 17a and 18a are also formed with slots 59 to accommodate the abutment 54. The bottle supporting and releasing mechanism including the rods 19 and is the same as that of the first embodiment.

To release the lowermost bottle 31, which is in the left-hand column, the rod 19 is swung downwardly and to the right about the pivot axis 24;. During such movement, the rod 19 swings the ice breaker member 50 in counterclockwise direction about the rod 20. In the event that the bottle 31 does not follow the rod 19 the abutment 54 engages the neck of the bottle to move or nudge it, breaking it loose from another bottle or part to which it may adhere, whereupon the bottle will readily fall by gravity to be discharged from the compartment 10. During such releasing movement the second lowermost bottle 32 descends until it rests on the rod 20.

Upon return movement of the rod 19, it swings the ice breaker member 50 in clockwise direction to return it to its normal or rest position shown in FIG. 5. As it approaches such rest position, the abutment 54 engages the neck of the lowermost bottle 32 and is thereby tilted counterclockwise to the position shown in dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 6.

In the next dispensing operation, the rod 20 moves about the pivot 27, downwardly to the left under the rod 19. The rod 20 swings the ice breaker member 50 in clockwise direction about the rod 19 and the abutment 54 moves the neck of the bottle 32 in the event that it does not follow the rod 20.

The cam plates 29 and 30, which operate the rods 19 and 20 in both embodiments, are operated by any suitable operating mechanism, for example, by the mechanism shown in FIG. 3. This mechanism includes a vertically movable structure 60, which comprises a horizontally extending channel member 61 fixedly attached to vertical plates 62 that extend, and are vertically movable, through slots in the horizontal flanges of the stationary channel 23.

There is provided for each cam plate a lifter 63 pivoted to the structure at 64 and having a finger 65 adapted to enter a slot in the cam plate when the lifter is moved to the right by an armature 66 upon energization of a solenoid 67.

The structure 60 may be raised and lowered by a motor and speed reducer unit 68 through a mechanism which includes a horizontal oscillating or rock shaft 69 journaled in stationary structure 70 and having fixed thereon levers '71 provided with pins 72 at their outer ends that extend through horizontal slots 73 in the lower ends of the plates 62. A lever 74 is fixed at one end to the shaft 69 and at its other end is pivoted to a connecting rod 75, the other end of which is pivoted to a crank 76 of the motor and speed reducer unit 68.

The crank 76 makes one revolution for each dispensing or vending operation of the machine, starting from its lowermost position. During the first half of its revolution, the crank 76 moves upwardly and, through the connecting rod 75, the lever 74, the shaft 69, the levers 71 and the pins 72, moves the structure 60 upwardly. During this upward movement, the structure 60 raises that cam plate whose lifter 63 projects its finger 65 into the slot of the cam plate. During the second half of its revolution, the crank 76 similarly moves the abovetnentioned parts downwardly, the cam plate that had been raised being lowered by the structure 60 during its downward movement.

It will be apparent that the solenoids 67 for the lifters 63 for the cam plates 29 and 30 are alternately energized upon successive operations of the machine, in any suitable manner, either manually or automatically.

I claim as my invention:

1. In bottle dispensing apparatus, the combination of wall structure providing a compartment for two columns of bottles arranged in corded or vertically staggered, horizontally overlapping relation,

bottle supporting and releasing mechanism at the bottom of said compartment comprising first and second bottle supporting and releasing rods which, in their rest positions, are horizontally spaced from each other and from the opposite sides of the compartment,

means for mounting each rod for pivotal movement from its rest position downwardly and under the other rod about an axis above and adjacent said other rod and back to its rest position,

an ice breaker member mounted to pivot about an axis adjacent and parallel to the pivot axis of one of said releasing rods,

said ice breaker member having an abutment disposed in its rest position above the center of the neck of the lowermost bottle and at least partly intermediate the columns of the necks of the bottles,

and means operable by either of said releasing rods for actuating said ice breaker member to move said abutment downwardly and into engagement with the neck of the lowermost bottle to move it in the event that it fails to follow a respective one of said rods upon releasing movement thereof and for returning said ice breaker member to its rest position upon return movement of the respective one of said rods to its rest position.

2. In bottle dispensing apparatus, the combination of wall structure providing a compartment for two columns of bottles arranged in corded or vertically staggered, horizontally overlapping relation,

bottle supporting and releasing mechanism at the bottom of said compartment comprising first and second bottle supporting and releasing rods which, in their rest positions, are horizontally spaced from each other and from the opposite sides of the compartment,

means for mounting each rod for pivotal movement from its rest position downwardly and under the other rod about an axis above and adjacent said other rod and back to its rest position,

first and second ice breaker members mounted to pivot about axes adjacent and parallel to the pivot axes of said first and second releasing rods, respectively,

each ice breaker member having an abutment disposed in its rest position above the center of the neck of the lowermost bottle and intermediate the columns of the necks of the bottles, and

each ice breaker member having means operable by its associated releasing rod for actuating the ice breaker member to move its abutment downwardly and into engagement with the neck of the lowermost bottle wall structure providing a compartment for two columns of bottles arranged in corded or vertically staggered horizontally overlapping relation,

bottle supporting and releasing mechanism at the bottom of said compartment comprising first and second bottle supporting and releasing rods which, in their rest positions, are horizontally spaced from each other and from the opposite sides of the compartment,

means for mounting each rod for movement from its rest position to a position releasing the lowermost bottle resting thereon and for returning said rod to its rest position while the other rod remains in its rest position,

an ice breaker member associated with each rod and mounted to pivot about an axis on the opposite side from the rod of a central plane between the sides of the compartment and having an abutment disposed in its rest position above the center of the lowermost bottle on said rod and adjacent said central plane so as not to interfere with the necks of the bottles in their descent, and

each ice breaker member having means operated by the associated rod upon releasing movement thereof to move said ice breaker member to bring its abutment downwardly into engagement with the neck of the bottle being released by said rod.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

KENNETH N. LEIMER, Examiner. 

1. IN BOTTLE DISPENSING APPARATUS, THE COMBINATION OF WALL STRUCTURE PROVIDING A COMPARTMENT FOR TWO COLUMNS OF BOTTLES ARRANGED IN CORDED OR VERTICALLY STAGGERED, HORIZONTALLY OVERLAPPING RELATION, BOTTLE SUPPORTING AND RELEASING MECHANISM AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID COMPARTMENT COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND BOTTLE SUPPORTING AND RELEASING RODS WHICH, IN THEIR REST POSITIONS, ARE HORIZONTALLY SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE COMPARTMENT, MEANS FOR MOUNTING EACH ROD FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT FROM ITS REST POSITION DOWNWARDLY AND UNDER THE OTHER ROD ABOUT AN AXIS ABOVE AND ADJACENT SAID OTHER ROD AND BACK TO ITS REST POSITION, AN ICE BREAKER MEMBER MOUNTED TO PIVOT ABOUT AN AXIS ADJACENT AND PARALLEL TO THE PIVOT AXIS OF ONE OF SAID RELEASING RODS, SAID ICE BREAKER MEMBER HAVING AN ABUTMENT DISPOSED IN ITS REST POSITION ABOVE THE CENTER OF THE NECK OF THE LOWERMOST BOTTLE AND AT LEAST PARTLY INTERMEDIATE THE COLUMNS OF THE NECKS OF THE BOTTLES, AND MEANS OPERABLE BY EITHER OF SAID RELEASING RODS FOR ACTUATING SAID ICE BREAKER MEMBER TO MOVE SAID ABUTMENT DOWNWARDLY AND INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NECK OF THE LOWERMOST BOTTLE TO MOVE IT IN THE EVENT THAT IT FAILS TO FOLLOW A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID RODS UPON RELEASING MOVEMENT THEREOF AND FOR RETURNING SAID ICE BREAKER MEMBER TO ITS REST POSITION UPON RETURN MOVEMENT OF THE RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID RODS TO ITS REST POSITION. 